A herdboy, Bonginkosi Ndiweni (24), is the alleged perpetrator who was recently ambushed by a community mob.

“He raped another girl who recognised him as one of the boys who herd cattle for other villagers. When she told her brothers they hunted him down. They found him herding cattle in the bush before attacking him. However, he managed to escape from the mob that seemingly wanted to kill him,” said Cyclopedia Ntuthu, a villager there.

According to one of the alleged victims, Ndiweni was a psychopath.

“I think he was watching me when I went to fetch water and that is when he came from behind with an okapi knife and threatened to slice me if I screamed. He led the way deeper into the bush, forcing himself on me and then cutting me with his knife,” said the first victim.

According to the victim she was intoxicated by his scent, his sweat and his cow dung smell and the scar she got was a cut on her thigh.

“After the rape he cut my thigh and said that it was a reminder of our encounter,” added the victim who was in tears.

“We reported him to the police when the number of his rape victims rose to four and all of them having the same cuts. We hope he is found and pays for what he did to these young women,” added a villager.

According to prosecutor Smart Tafirenyika the perpetrator was apprehended and appeared at Kezi magistrates’ court for rape. Magistrate Arafat Gozanayi postponed the case to 30 September moving it to Gwanda Regional Court. Ndiweni is in custody.